Clinton deserves some credit for her own rebound
By Tom Baxter
Southern Political Report
April 30, 2008 — Don’t attribute all of Hillary Clinton’s rebound in the latest InsiderAdvantage North Carolina poll to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. She deserves some of the credit herself. The never-let-go Wright story is one of those that seems to come with its own echo chamber. There’s no way voters in North Carolina or anywhere else can get away from it, and its impact, especially on older white voters, is unmistakable. It has put the state, where Barack Obama held a comfortable lead a few weeks ago, back in play. There’s more texture to what’s going on in North Carolina than the cable buzz, however. Endorsements don’t always mean a lot, but Gov. Mike Easley’s endorsement of Clinton this week probably means more than most. Easley, who has not been above crashing a NASCAR vehicle into a wall at a sporting event to endear himself to his base, appeals directly to the working-class, Democratic voters who are the swing vote in this primary. What may also be coming in under the national radar is the impact of a Clinton ad, titled “Trouble.” Back when a weight of problems was beginning to afflict the Bush administration, someone discovered that when they turned a chart of recent gas prices upside down, the line jibed nearly perfectly with Bush’s approval rating. That’s how directly gas prices can play into political perceptions. So even with all the chatter over Wright, don’t discount the significance of Clinton’s attack on Obama for opposing her plan to suspend the federal gas tax, just as he earlier opposed her proposal to freeze foreclosures. “People are hurting,” the ad says. “It’s time for a president who’s ready to take action, now.” Remember “I feel your pain?” Empathy works, and while Clinton’s plan hasn’t won much favor from economists, it puts her on the offensive with respect to a tremendously potent issue. (And by the way, why aren’t the candidates being pressed to say what they would do about the looming world food crisis?) There’s been a generation gap throughout this race, and in the latest North Carolina poll it’s stark. Despite falling behind in the overall voter, Obama still holds a double-digit lead among voters age 18-44. Clinton doesn’t turn the tide until the voters get to age 45 or older. Those are the ones who turn out, usually. Obama still has the mantle of favorite in the Tarheel State, but this one could be interesting. |
